The Half Day Deal
by officemaxncheese
Summary: Could a regular rainy day at school turn into something more?
1. Chapter 1

The bus's hydraulic brakes woke up Hermione as it pulled up to H. Worts district high school. Rain slicked the windows and she ruefully remembered straightening her hair the night before. She made a dash through the rain, but she was still soaked by the time she made it through the entrance. Checking her watch she made a face, she would have to hurry to change into a dry shirt and make homeroom. If only I could time travel she thought in a sudden flight of fancy which departed from her usual no nonsense approach to life.

She grabbed a volleyball t-shirt out of her locker and scooted into the bathroom. As fast as she had been, the halls were still deserted when she came back out. She swore under her breath, this morning had started off on entirely the wrong foot. A low laugh surprised her and she whirled around to face her mocker. The narrow frame of Draco Malfoy slouched against a locker, his eyelids heavy as he surveyed her. She flushed, suddenly over-aware of her current state.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" She asked, drawing herself up to her full height to counteract her current feeling of insignificance. Draco did that to people, though she always wondered if he meant to. A crooked smile tugged at his lips as he pushed himself away from the lockers and started towards her.

"Nope. I'm an office assistant first period and Mrs. Randall is sick." He gestured around the empty halls, "I'm master of all I survey." The seemingly innocuous words sent a shiver down Hermione's spine and she prayed he didn't notice. "O-oh, well good for you." She said lamely, hating herself the moment she finished speaking. He was very close to her now, leaning over her and she was suddenly aware of how much taller he was than her. She wanted to move backwards, out of this strangely personal bubble he had seemed to create around the two of them. And yet, something rooted her to the spot, leaning towards him, staring back into the pale grey eyes that watched her, fixed, something almost hungry swimming just beneath the surface.

"What are you doing out of class?" He asked finally, breaking the electrified silence. She stared dumbly for a moment, the longer she stood there the less sense her thoughts seemed to make. "I-I went to change because of the rain, and I guess it took longer than I thought." Her words seemed foreign and she finally managed to take a step away from him, breaking the spell. "I need to go, I'm already late, you know how Flitwick is." He laughed, a short harsh sound. "Trust me, Flitwick hasn't noticed you're gone. I didn't go to a single class of his last year when I had him and he never noticed." Hermione stared at him indignantly, "Well what was he going to do? Fail the captain of the lacrosse team? Everyone is scared of Mr. Snape, even Flitwick." Draco ignored this. "Coach isn't so bad, he's just-" he stopped to consider the right word, "intense". Then his gaze shifted back to her, his eyes something near hopeful now. "Whatdya say we skip?" Hermione stared at him, taken aback. "I-I can't." "Why not? They're not going to revoke your Harvard scholarship just because you skipped half a day." Hermione started, "How did you know I got into Harvard?" Draco flashed her a million dollar smile, "fifteenth generation legacy." She rolled her eyes, feeling her resolve stiffen. "I'm sorry. Not all of us can get by on our familial reputation." With that she turned, ready to march away, her self-righteous air hopefully masking her total lack of real anger.

She felt his long, slim fingers graze her wrist and she melted, allowing herself to be turned back around to face him once more. She sighed, her resolve gone. "One period." He smiled again, but this time it was genuine, uncharacteristically lighting up his serious face. "Half day." She shook her head, "Two periods." She bartered. "Three." He tried. She thought about it for a second in mock seriousness, then held out her hand. "Agreed." He shook her hand with mock solemnity, then laced his fingers through hers and half pulled her down the hallway towards the parking lot. "Draco! Where are we going?" She asked, her expression only half serious. "Detention if you don't move any faster" he teased, throwing open the exit door. They stood under the overhang for a half second, glancing at each other with the kind of conspiratory glances that only lovers and hardened criminals can give one another, as if operating on their own synced frequency. "Which car is yours?" Hermione asked a little breathlessly, staring across the sea of cars. "Black BMW." He said pointing at a glossy sports car parked haphazardly near the edge of the parking lot. Hermione just shook her head as she eyed the car. "C'mon, judge the car for yourself." He said and pulled her out into the rain.

They ran, slamming into the car with a breathless laugh, Draco pushing past her, his hand skimming her waist as he opened the car door for her. Her mind felt wild, barely keeping up with the current moment. She sat in the dead quiet of the car, watching him walk around to his side of the car, his black shirt turning polka dot with rain drops. He dropped into the car, his blond hair dripping onto his face, his eyes dancing with unusual merriment. "What's gotten into you?" Hermione asked as he turned onto the street, her mind flashing back thinking of the seemingly ill-humored character he seemed to have possessed ever since he had transferred from the private high school across town last year "You're always seem to be in a bad mood". He accelerated as they turned through an intersection, his eyes suddenly growing stormy, "mysteries of life." Hermione watched him nervously for a second, but when he saw her expression, his eyes softened. "Don't worry about me" he said, his strange light manner returning. "You ready for the best half day ever?"


	2. Chapter 2

They drove in silence for a moment as Hermione's heart thudded in her chest, the gravity of the situation finally settling over her. She was skipping school, she was in a car with Draco Malfoy of all people, and she had no idea where they were going. She twisted her hands in her lap unconsciously, trying to regain the balance of her mind. Familiar landmarks flew past, and suddenly they were on the interstate, a slim grey ribbon unwinding in front of them. Hermione could feel the silence weighing on her, and she knew she had to say something to break the quiet spell. "So," she started in a higher pitch than she might have liked, "where are we going?". Her voice sounded foreign, rather than dispelling the silence her words seemed to slowly suffocate in the stillness. _Stupid_ , she thought instinctually, then reconsidered as he turned to look at her, his smile reassuring her as completely as she had chastised herself just a moment ago. What was wrong with her?

"Well we're almost there, surprise or no surprise?" He asked, his grey eyes shining mischievously. Hermione felt a thrill run up her spine at these words, "Surprise" she said, her smile slipping out with her reply. "All right, I'll tell you when to close your eyes." He said confidently, leaning back against his seat. Hermione mock-scoffed, "what? How much of a surprise is this going to be?". He clapped his hand over her eyes, "you agreed" he laughed. Hermione pretended to allow it, in reality it was thrilling to be this close to him. She felt the car stop beneath her, then she felt his other hand grab hers and guide them over her eyes. "No peeking." He warned, and she heard him get out of the car. She sat patiently, trying to slow her mind. He opened her door and guided her out of the car. "Alright," he said quietly, suddenly very close to her, "open your eyes". Hermione dropped her hands and squeaked in excitement. She whirled around, her eyes sparkling as much as her smile. He laughed good-naturedly at her reaction, "you like The Pier then?" She turned back around to gaze at the local amusement park's gates, the attractions beyond rising far into the sky. "I love it, I've only been here once." Then her natural sense returned to her for a flash, "this isn't putting you out is it?" Draco rolled his eyes in response, "I think my wallet will survive." With that he grabbed her arm and half-dragged her toward the entrance. Hermione's excitement must have been contagious because they both seemed almost giddy as they made it through the gates and onto the main fairway. "Alright, where should we go first?" Hermione asked, studying the map that they had been given with their tickets. Draco snagged the map out of her hands, "no map, you gotta just go for it." Hermione reached for the map futilely, "how will I know where to go?" she asked. "I guess you'll just have to trust me. I basically lived here the summer of eighth grade." Draco said, looking around with the air of a seasoned veteran. "You did?" Hermione asked, surprise clear on her face. Draco nodded, "My dad was working with the state to try to get the surrounding land away from The Pier's management." He seemed reluctant to share more and Hermione didn't push it. "This way?" She asked brightly, pointing down a brightly painted avenue. "Great choice" Draco responded, the world-weary look on his face replaced with his genuine smile once more.


	3. Chapter 3

They hurried down the path, past stalls bursting with brightly colored signs and lights, advertising games of chance masquerading as those of skill, towards a helter-skelter that sat almost empty. It was Tuesday after all, and while it had stopped raining there was still evidence of the downpour in the puddles that pockmarked the path. Hermione breathed deeply. The air smelled of popcorn, cotton candy, and the plastic of cheap prizes. She noticed Draco watching her and felt suddenly self-conscious, her cheeks flushing as she turned away, pretending to examine the closest booth. She felt Draco come up behind her, eyeing the prizes that hung from the roof of the stall. "Don't try to play any of the games yet, you'll have to carry around that giant bear on all the rides."

"I'm terrible at these games, I think I'll be okay." She laughed as she spoke, masking her nerves of being so close to him with a smile. He eyed her for a second, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I didn't say anything about YOU winning." With that he turned and started walking again leaving Hermione to catch up with him. She rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, then realizing that he wasn't slowing down jogged after him. When he saw her he slowed down and they matched pace once more, him walking slower than he could to keep in step with her.

"Helter-skelter?" He asked, pointing at the tower that now rose above them. She sized it up, her eyes following the path of the slide to the bottom. "I don't like heights very much." She said, a little anxious. Draco laughed, "C'mon, I won't let anything happen to you." Hermione tried to conceal the shiver his words sent down her spine as he led her up the stairs. Her mind returned to her fear however as they climbed higher and higher. Hermione's stomach turned as she caught sight of the ground, now far below them, but Draco steered her into the opening at the top of the slide.

A bored-looking employee shoved a burlap sack into Draco's hand. "Two people maximum, smaller person in front, keep all your limbs inside the slide." The safety briefing apparently complete Hermione felt herself being guided along, her fear of heights shoved aside as she played back the worker's words. "Wait-" she began, suddenly realizing what was happening, "I'm going separate from him-" she had barely finished speaking when she felt herself being pulled down into Draco's lap. "Do I really scare you that bad?" He asked quietly, his voice teasing. "I-no!" She overcompensated.

"Alright then." With that he wrapped his arms around her waist and shoved them off the platform. She shrieked in surprise, clutching his arms as they flew around and around until, too soon they hit the bottom. She leaped up, laughing as she tried to catch her breath. She turned to help him up but he was already standing. "Where to next?" He asked, his smile so perfect it made Hermione fall silent for a moment. Then, remembering herself, she turned and caught sight of a sight that made up her mind for her. "There." She said, pointing. Draco groaned.


	4. Chapter 4

"Please not the Tilt-A-Whirl." He said, though he allowed himself to be dragged towards the ride. She ignored him, writing his reluctance off for a game, though she wondered at his sudden change in demeanor. He was almost dragging his feet now, and seeing the genuine expression on his face, she stopped abruptly, her own face clouding with concern. "What's wrong?" She asked, her mind suddenly racing as she invented dramatic reasons for his fear. He stood, reluctant for a moment, his grey eyes staring at the spinning cars with trepidation, as if searching for the words. "I don't like spinning." He said quietly. Hermione stared at him, confused. "What?" She asked, choking back a laugh. His face blackened and she knew she had said the wrong thing. Anxiously she reached for his hand, instinctively, to reassure him that she had only laughed in surprise, but he pulled his hand away, his eyes suddenly distant. She could visibly see him shutting down and she felt her heart twist. What could have made him like this? The photos she had seen in the newspaper of his father flashed through her mind and his cruel smile answered her question. "Okay. Draco?" She asked, emboldened at the presentation of a problem. He turned toward her but refused to meet her eyes. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around him, to hold him close and reassure him. "Hey, we don't have to go on the Tilt-A-Whirl. Do you want to do something else?" He finally met her eye, with a wary stare she had only seen in animals at the circus. "Caricatures?" She suggested with a false amount of cheer, pointing at a nearby booth. Draco looked at the booth and laughed, a competitive gleam in his eyes. "Ah, no, I can do it for free." With this he pulled her over to a nearby cluster of benches and seated her across from him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny notebook, beaten beyond recognition, a pen hooked through the wire loops that, though hardly uniform, still held the pages together. She gazed at him, still confused at the sudden change of behavior, though relieve to see his spirits buoyed once more. She had never considered what really went on in his mind, but now, seeing his slim fingers skate across the page, she realized that there was a lot more than the spoiled bad boy that he was characterized as at school. He glanced up at her every so often, his brow furrowed in concentration. She promised herself she would be positive about her caricature, no matter how bad. The thought of hurting his feelings, of making him flinch again seemed to make her chest tighten though she chose not to linger on why. "Done." He said, and he smiled proudly down at the sketch before turning his notebook around so she could see. She stared in surprise at the skillful rendering of her face, the cheerful spark she seemed to embody captured in a lifelike manner. "It's only a quick sketch, I know its-" He began, but she glanced up at him, her hands flying across the table to squeeze his, "No, no, no! Are you kidding me? It's amazing!" She smiled at him, her face so genuine he couldn't help but soften his gaze. "Can I have it?" It's better than my senior portraits!" She laughed, and he colored handsomely at the praise. He carefully tore the page out of the notebook and solemnly handed it over to her. They lapsed into silence, as if knowing the next sentences would be more intimate than either of them were willing to admit, even to themselves. Finally Draco spoke, confident once more. "C'mon, can I show you something?"


	5. Chapter 5

She got up and followed him, staying half a step behind him as if to keep herself from getting too close to him. She felt her typically responsible nature was not to be trusted, and she feared doing something rash, of closing the distance only to be rejected once more. He seemed suddenly unpredictable, even as quickly as his personable self had reemerged. There was something under the surface, and she found herself wondering which was the act. Hermione had no time to ponder this however, as she realized that Draco was striding purposefully toward the exit.

"Hey! Draco! Where are we going?" She asked, a little out of breath. Draco had continued to speed up and now they were almost jogging out of the park. Seeing her flushed cheeks, Draco hurriedly slowed, checking over his shoulder as if looking for something. Hermione turned to see what he was looking at but he put his arm around her shoulder and clutching her close to him they headed back towards the car. Hermione was unsure if she should be more worried about Draco's sudden shift in behavior or the sudden increase in his physical proximity.

It felt as if they walked for ages, wrapped inside a minute, before Hermione slid back into the passenger seat of his car. She felt suddenly a little more resolute, away from him, as if she was gaining back her agency. She straightened herself in her seat, determined to get to the bottom of his Draco's strange behavior as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Draco, I need to talk to you." She said abruptly, and she immediately hated herself. She sounded like she was divorcing him. Before she had a chance to edit her demand Draco turned and eyed her. "You want to go back to school?" Hermione stared at him, bewildered. For the first time in her life she had completely forgotten about school. "No." She said, too quickly, then blanched, wondering if he had been hoping she'd say yes.

Draco smiled, his eyes lazy. "Good, I didn't plan on taking you back." Hermione turned to stare at him, her face screwed up in something between laughter and genuine concern. "Are you planning to murder me?!" He laughed, a genuine laugh, one that tipped his head back and made his shoulders shake. He shook his head at her, teasing. "Definitely not. Way too much work." Hermione scoffed. "Is that a compliment or an insult?" He shrugged, a smile still tugging at his lips. "Take it any way you want." Hermione could think of nothing to say so she simply shook her head in mock exasperation and turned to stare out the window.

She was immediately shaken out of her good humor however as she remembered how this conversation had started. Draco was so good at changing the subject, it was almost magic. She debated raising the issue again, but sneaking a glance at him screwing around with the radio, bopping almost imperceptibly to a 90's girl band song, she wasn't sure if she was ready to see him upset again. She chewed her lip, considering, then decided to feel it out. "So then, where are we going?" She asked, glancing out the window at the street signs that melted past the shiny little sports car. Draco finally left the radio alone to merge into the fast lane. "How do you feel about the seaside?" He asked.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione leaned back in her seat, twisting her hair into a bun. "I like it." She said, trying to sound casual, her mind racing as she attempted to remember how far away the nearest beach actually was. It must be a good hour! Draco eyed her, his grey eyes questioning and she realized her answer had been too casual. "I love the beach!" She began, rocking forward with a smile. "I'm sorry! I do, I love it. I was just trying to figure out how far away it was." She stopped herself as she felt herself beginning to babble in overcompensation.

He smiled, amused at her sudden expression of excitement. "Alright Google Maps, just checking. We're about 45 minutes." Hermione relaxed. Draco was an easy person to be around, even if she complicated the matter for herself. She sat still for a few minutes before her attention began to drift towards the boy in the driver's seat once again. How could someone be personable and mysterious at the same time? It seemed to defy the laws of physics, hurtling Hermione out into some great unknown she felt afraid to inspect too closely. "Like what you see?" Draco asked and Hermione realized she had been staring. "I don't like what I'm hearing, what is this song?" Hermione asked, her cheeks reddening as she turned her focus towards the radio. "Nice save." Draco said teasingly. Hermione could have thrown herself out of the car at that moment but she stood by her work, flipping the dials until she found her favorite channel. Draco groaned. "What is this?" Hermione trusted herself to look at him again, dancing along to the radio. He shook his head at her but left the radio alone. Hermione ignored him, exclaiming excitedly as the next song started, trying and failing not to smile at Draco's pained expression. "C'mon, you know this is good." She coaxed, her eyes shining. Draco tried to hold his face seriously, but seeing her happy face he cracked, starting to laugh at the uncoordinated motions she was attempting to pass off as dance moves.

Abruptly his attention shot forward again as he realized that he had begun to drift into the next lane. The grill of a semi was suddenly too close over the shoulder of the BMW, closing in by the second. He yanked the wheel, over correcting and sending Hermione back against her seat. Hermione gazed at him, her eyes wide. He looked a little pale, and Hermione realized that he had slowed down. He took a deep breath of relief as the little car straightened out, safely back in its own lane, but Hermione leaned forward and clicked off the radio, the loud music seemed incriminating all of the sudden. There was silence for a minute, only the sound of the pavement humming beneath the tires echoing in the quiet car. It seemed impossible to speak for a moment, but Hermione felt she must if only to reset the car to it's relaxed state. "Nice save." She said lamely, though she meant it sincerely. Draco set the cruise control once more and glanced at her. "All those driving lessons had better have paid off."

Hermione saw the opening and took it to shift the topic from their brush with danger. "You took driving lessons?" Draco shrugged, his eyes far away. "Kind of. My father taught me." As always the mention of his father seemed to conjure up a powerful emotion in Draco that Hermione couldn't quite place. Hermione let the car lapse into silence once more, feeling that she had done her part to break the awkwardness. Why did all personal talk seem to make Draco detach, make him drift away to some distant memory? It was beginning to frustrate Hermione, and she didn't like feeling that way toward Draco. She chewed her lip, searching for a solution and coming up with nothing. Suddenly Draco's voice shook her from her reverie. "You hungry?


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione glanced up, realizing they had stopped in front of a small diner. She shrugged. "A little." She was beginning to feel a little drawn, maybe the constant tension from the excitement of being around Draco was beginning to wear on her, and she hoped that eating lunch would revive her, allow her to embrace the high again.

Soon enough they were sitting across from one another in a cracked vinyl booth, reading from giant laminated menus, the brightly lit pictures making up for the way the edges were curled and torn from years of use. Hermione sipped her water, peering over the top of her menu at Draco. The promise of food had put her in a better mood, and she felt herself doubting that she had ever felt tired. Certainly not because of handsome boy sitting across from her. At this thought her face flushed and she hid her face behind her menu. She was not going to admit to herself that she thought he was cute! It was much too early for any of that nonsense. Still, a small voice in her mind seemed to question the harm, just of admitting it to herself. What was the harm?

Hermione could have sworn there was a good reason, but it seemed to escape her now. She was loathe to hand her menu back to the waitress after she ordered, she felt she needed a little more time to ponder her feelings without staring at the object of her inner confusion. She realized suddenly that Draco was talking and snapped back to the real world. Her emotions would have to wait to be examined. "-just can't believe how close that was on the road back there!" Draco finished. Hermione nodded vaguely, not wanting to be reminded.

"Can you believe we're seniors?" She asked, turning to one of her own favorite topics in an attempt to shift the conversation to greener pastures. Draco eyed her for a second before answering. "In a good way or no?" He asked finally, leaning back as the waitress returned with their drinks. Hermione laughed. "A good way! It seems like just yesterday I was in first grade." Draco pulled the sugar packets toward himself and dumped them on the table. "No, I feel like I've been in school my entire life. I'm ready to graduate, go someplace else." As he spoke he started sorting the sugar packets back into their container, almost unconsciously. "You're just excited to go to Harvard, be a success." Hermione teased. Draco glanced up at her with a smirk. "No, that's why you're excited." Hermione scoffed, the comment resonating more than she would have liked. "Well then why are you excited? The snow?" She asked, making a face.

Completing his sugar packet project, he pushed it back to the end of the table. "Nah, I'm just tired of seeing the same things, the same people all the time." Draco said, then, as if catching himself, added with real alarm, "not you, I would never get tired of you." Then, as if realizing he had gone too far in his caveat, dropped his eyes to the table. "It's been a really long time, I'm going to see if I can find our waitress." He mumbled, ducking out of the booth, the scarlet of his pale face giving away his expedition as a ruse. Hermione waited until he was gone before she allowed herself to smile. Would never get tired of her! She ran the words over and over in her mind, thrilled by his words.

Hearing him coming back she attempted to compose her face again, but it was difficult, and her eyes were uncharacteristically shining as he slid back across the table. "Here it is." He said, and sure enough the waitress set their plates down on the table at that moment. "Thanks." They said in awkward unison, then glancing at each other, both suddenly nervous. Their comradery was shaken by this revelation, and neither knew how to move forward. They gazed at each other for a moment, before Hermione glanced down at his food. "I can't believe you don't like ketchup." She said, and a palpable wave of relief seemed to wash over the little table. Draco laughed. "Said the girl who ordered the cereal-topped pancake at two in the afternoon." Hermione tossed one of his fries at him, still turning his words over in the back of her mind.


	8. Chapter 8

A tenuous silence fell over them as they finished their food, and it continued as they got back in the car and started driving again. Hermione hoped it was natural, but her mind was too tempestuous to be truly convinced. A reckoning had been had for her, she was unsure what to do. She could keep patching over the chasm his omission had created to be sure, but for how long? Could she? Did she want to? The questions spun around her head and she longed for an easy answer. Some sign, a nod by fate to tell her what to do.

She caught her reflection in the window and realized that her internal pondering had taken refuge upon her face. She started, something akin to shame on her face. This was not the time to make up her mind about Draco. It was time to perform, to do what she did best; tamping down her feelings for a more convenient time. Like maybe when the object of her confusion was sitting less than a foot away from her. Still, she felt a shadow falling over her as quickly as she had perked up. Maybe she wasn't quite as good at hiding her feelings as she thought. This worried her, though she didn't quite know why. Chewing her lip, she eyed Draco, half hoping her would produce a solution. He didn't. His eyes gazed lazily at the road that unwound before them, as if unaware of the effect he was having upon her. She felt a little anger at this seeming indifference. How dare he put her in this emotional predicament and then go on his merry way, completely unaffected! Still, it was easier to be mad at him when she wasn't staring at his handsome face. Something about him made her heart melt. What a terrible time to go soft, she thought to herself, desperate to reassert herself but unsure how.

So instead she slumped back against her seat, as if to see if she could kickstart the rapture to spirit her away from it all. Hermione knew she was being dramatic, but she didn't care. Still, her general nature wouldn't let her play games for long. She must say something, it had been quiet too long. She pondered conversation starters, something casual, something that didn't betray her any more than her face already had. "We almost there?" She asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

He nodded, tapping the dash to enlarge the sat nav. "Ten minutes." He said flatly. His voice killed a small piece of her. Why had he said so little? Was he regretting what he had said? Hermione felt it must be this, and it worried her. She felt certain of nothing except that he must know that his omission was not a mistake. She was relieved that she had solidified a goal, but her happiness vanished when she realized that she had no idea how to reassure him without dragging him into an emotionally charged conversation that she felt positive he wanted no more than she did. And so she languished, frustrated, in silence, watching the sat nav run through its calculations.


	9. Chapter 9

They were getting close to the ocean now, Hermione could tell. The shops seemed to sell only cheap beach-themed merchandise; seagulls and sandpipers competing in the parking lots out front for food abandoned by beachgoers. It was too early in the season for too many tourists, and the traffic was practically non-existent. The buildings were beginning to thin out and Hermione could catch glimpses of the coast now, mostly sand, but with the occasional flash of blue that reassured her the ocean lay just out of sight.

Her concerns were faded, her excitement taking over. She flashed an excited smile at Draco as he turned into a sandy parking lot, the wheels of the car complaining slightly at this new terrain. They parked at Hermione forced herself to get out the car normally. The minute her feet hit the sand however, she forgot herself entirely and sprinted up and over the sandy bank and down toward the ocean, pulling off her shoes as she ran. Dropping her shoes, she collapsed near the water's edge, finally turning back to look for Draco. He was laughing at her antics, carefully picking his way down the bank. She waved excitedly at him, as if to get him to hurry, but he just waved casually, walking slowly until he was suddenly standing right next to her. He sat down carefully, then finally looked at her. It felt to Hermione an age since he had looked into her eyes, though it couldn't have actually been long at all, the sun still high in the air overhead as a reminder of how short their time together had been thus far. Suddenly self-conscious Hermione flopped down on her back, gazing up at the blue sky.

"I love it here!" She said, then, pulling herself up on her elbows, she asked, "Do you like the beach?" Draco laughed, "Of course, I'm not that much of a killjoy." Hermione sat up suddenly at this. "You're not a killjoy!" It seemed to hurt her personally each time she heard that self-doubt enter Draco's voice, and the concern showed on her face. She rolled over onto her stomach and propped her face in her hands, kicking her legs up behind her; the end result of this display so remarkably Sandra Dee-esque it made Draco laugh. "All right, you win" he acquiesced, shaking his head at her. Satisfied, Hermione refocused her gaze on the distant horizon, past the foamy waves, the pale green gradient of the open sea, out to the spot where the sky and ocean seemed to commune together, separated by nothing but their respective matter.

"Do you ever wish you could just be out there, forever?" She asked quietly, almost to herself. Her voice was wistful and for a moment it seemed as if she were on another dimensional plane. She turned to look at Draco but rather than breaking the spell he seemed pulled into it, away from the noisy gulls and distant traffic and into a personal world. He glanced at the ocean briefly, impassively, then seemed to focus his gaze deep into Hermione's very soul in a way that she knew should make her uncomfortable but somehow it didn't. Somehow it seemed the most natural thing in the world, of course he should know, how could he not? The stare of his grey eyes narrowed the world around them, excluding the ocean entirely now. They were very close now, so close that Hermione was sure he could hear the uneven beat of her heart. "Not by myself." He murmured, and, in what seemed to Hermione almost like slow-motion he leaned forward.


	10. Chapter 10

This was the beginning of something great, this much Hermione knew. It was as if something suddenly clicked in her mind, as she realized just how deeply she felt for him. Was this love? It certainly felt like it. More than anything Hermione wanted to throw herself forward, to kiss him as desperately as she felt, but something logical told her to stay her ground and let him cross the distance on his own. Subconsciously her lashes swept down, her mouth twisting a little sadly.

Still, nothing could have prepared her for the way her stomach sank when she felt his hand tuck her hair behind her ear and then his presence move away. She could barely look at him, a gesture that would have seemed otherwise romantic to Hermione felt like a slap. Stupid. She was so stupid. She berated herself, desperately attempting to push the tears that were threatening to spill over in her eyes back down. She sniffed hard and pulled herself to her feet, desperate to conceal the emotions that were now threatening to consume her. She wouldn't make a fool of herself. That was what she was doing. She stared hard at the horizon, trying to regain her composure before she spoke. She needed to get away from Draco, sort through her emotions, find some way to get rid of this current state. Her planning was interrupted by the voice of the object of her consternation.

"Hey, are you okay?" Draco asked, suddenly at her elbow, the concern is his grey eyes cutting Hermione to the quick, threatening to destroy the paper-thin mask of a smile that she struggled to keep on her face. "Yeah, I think I got sand in my eye." She laughed, hoping he wouldn't notice the hollowness. "We better be heading back, it must be almost three." She added, slipping her shoes back on. Draco stared at her confused. "Oh, yeah, you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? We could get dinner on the way home." She felt only anger at this (truthfully lovely sounding) suggestion. How dare he try to get her to tarry any longer! To spend any longer with him would force her proverbial hand, revealing her true emotions, and Hermione was certain of nothing except how much this must not happen. "I can't. Thanks." She said, turning away from him and heading back towards the car, praying he wouldn't try to stop her. In some twisted way she found herself even more disappointed when she reached the passenger side of the car unhindered. This had all been a bad idea.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione found herself only frustrated as she watched him fumble for his keys, unlocking the car after what seemed like an eternity. She almost fell into her seat, staring blankly out the windshield. Through the solid wall of emotion that seemed to consume her, she could feel his worried gaze on her, but she felt speaking to be outside of her ability right now, no matter how much she wanted to say something vague. Hermione knew she should say something reassuring, why should he be burdened by her own disappointment? Still, the lump in her throat seemed to block her from saying a single thing. She blinked hard, she would not cry.

Steeling her resolve she smiled in Draco's general direction, knowing if she met his gaze the truth would come spilling out. Was it the truth? A layer of confusion seemed to be settling over her now, complicating her emotions even more. Mentally, Hermione flailed. This was a new reaction, and she felt anger building up at everything. Internally, she fought for control, and she could feel herself gaining back agency as she allowed her old ally, anger, to soothe her fraught nerves. This was one emotion she knew how to control. Still, it would hardly do to leave the emotional lasagna with anger on top. People tended to pick at anger, looking for a reason beneath. Some fake cheer ought to sate curiosity. She could feel her face smooth as the frown she didn't realize she was wearing slid off. Now she could look at him.

"Wow, I can't believe how quickly we've gone! We'll be back in another half hour!" Hermione said, reading the GPS, a little genuine surprise in her voice. "It's your driving-" Hermione started to say teasingly, but she stopped when she saw Draco's face. He was staring out of the windshield so hard Hermione thought he might crack it with his gaze. His face was a blizzard of emotion, so many negative feelings at once it was almost impossible to make out what each individual one was.

"Don't do that." Draco said so dangerously quiet that Hermione could barely hear him. "Do what?" Hermione said lightly, trying to mask her concern. Draco suddenly yanked the wheel of the car, Hermione shrieked and grabbed his arm before realizing he had just pulled off the road. He turned at looked at her and she stared back, vacillating between confusion and distress. It was dead silent in the car for almost a full minute, the only sound when a car zoomed past them on the road, shaking the BMW's interior a little. Finally, Hermione, a little exasperated, broke the silence. "What?" She asked, "was it my comment about your driving?" He looked at her like she was insane. "Then what?" She asked, sounding even more bewildered, though with a creeping sense of what he was talking about. He gesticulated vaguely in her direction. "That." She laughed awkwardly, and he slammed his hand down on top of the steering wheel, causing her to jump. "Dammit Hermione. What's wrong? You think I don't recognize when someone is pretending to be okay when they're not? You think I don't know what that looks like when I've seen my mother do that every day of her life, every day of mine?" His face crumpled as he spoke, and a genuine look of deep hurt crossed his face, breaking Hermione's heart. She felt suddenly ridiculous, acting out for the sake of what? That he wouldn't do everything she wanted when she dictated? "I'm sorry." She said, reaching awkwardly across the car console to hug him, a little apprehensive, still worried that he might reject her. He didn't, and she could feel his heart racing as she buried her head against his strong shoulder.

They stayed like that for a long time until finally a nearby car horn reminded them that the shoulder of the road was not the best place to linger and Draco pulled back onto the road. They rode in silence for a little while, Hermione biting her lip as she pondered. "Hey, I'm sorry for acting like that. I just didn't-" Hermione trailed off. Draco shook his head, "I'm sorry, it's really not on you. I just-overreacted." He poked at the GPS system absentmindedly. "You don't have to explain what you were upset about. I just-" He floundered and Hermione cut him off, suddenly feeling expressional. "No, no. I want to tell you. Still, can I tell you when we stop? I've had enough driving scares today." She laughed, nervously, her mind on what she was about to confess.


	12. Chapter 12

A few moments later they pulled into the parking lot of a rest area. Twilight was creeping across the sky now, casting a romantic light across the small concrete building with its tiny shrubs and cigarette smoking truckers tastefully arranged around the exterior. Draco parked the car at the end of the car parking spaces, behind which sat idling tractor trailers, and beyond that lay the road, cars still racing along the black asphalt with no consciousness of the drama about to be enacted inside the BMW. Hermione sat almost petrified in her seat twisting her hands anxiously as she searched for the right words to say. Draco watched her carefully, as if attempting not to influence her in any way, though something mysterious seemed to burn brightly in his eyes.

"I-hmm. I'm not sure what to say. I-I had a really good time today." She began, her words confused. Draco seemed to light up at this.

"Me too! I was worried I had taken you somewhere terrible and you hadn't said anything out of sheer politeness." He said, sounding a bit relieved.

Hermione shook her head, smiling at this anecdote. "No! No, this has been a really fun day. I just-" she broke off again, searching for words that might make her proclamations seem more casual. Finding none she pushed forward before she could change her mind, her words tumbling out quickly. "I'm sorry, I guess I gave today more meaning than it probably had for you. Its just that we seem to-" here she stopped herself short, pausing just short of the verbal cliff she was racing toward. These were words she couldn't take back. Still, something about Draco's gaze made her press forward. Her heart pounding in her chest she managed: "Okay, the real truth is, well, I thought you were going to kiss me on the beach. I know it was stupid-I'm sorry for putting this on you, I really want to thank you for an awesome day and I apologize-" Her words were cut off as Draco leaned across the console and, pulling her towards him, kissed her.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione expected his kiss to be hard and demanding, but instead it was gentle, almost careful, as if afraid she would evaporate like fairy-gold should he kiss her too roughly. For a moment she almost hesitated, as if trying to remember all the concerns she had spent so much energy putting together, but they seemed to have drifted beyond her reach, impossible to recall. Instead she seemed to be being carried far away from the rest stop, somewhere near the edges of the galaxy. She was aware of nothing except Draco's arms and the weight of his lips upon hers. Suddenly he drew back to look at her and she was abruptly brought back to reality, her face flushed by a heated wave of emotion that seemed to have flooded her. He was watching her with a strange look in his eyes, and when he spoke his voice was strangely deep.

"I wish I had kissed you at the beach-I wish I'd done it the moment I met you. I can't believe I was foolish enough to not kiss you for a whole day." Hermione felt herself melt under his gaze and gently swept his hair back over his forehead. The kiss seemed to have broken down the apprehensive layer of separation between them, the level of constant consciousness of their separation now gone with them together. Suddenly, Hermione leaned towards him once again, a smile curling her pretty mouth.

"Just don't let it happen again." With that, her lips were on his again and the outside world smudged into a distant memory.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione shivered next to a display of potted ferns outside the nursery where she worked weekends, waiting expectedly as she gazed down the rainy street. Her heart leapt as a familiar dark shape turned the corner and glided to a halt in front of her curb. It was incredible how she still felt this way after two months of this routine, as if her soul still couldn't believe what providence had sent her way. She half ran, half skipped across the pavement and threw open the car door, sliding into the seat, her face upturned for a kiss. However, today Draco didn't kiss her like he normally did, instead gazing at her with a worried expression. Hermione recoiled against her chair, feeling snubbed before her concern got the best of her.

"What's wrong?" She asked, a bit of hurt still apparent in her voice. Draco seemed to shake himself free for a moment, as if he realized that he had been in a trance.

"I'm sorry, how was your day?" He pulled her into his arms, as if determined to more than make up for his lack of affection. Sated, Hermione sat back, pulling her seatbelt across her.

"Good! Seriously, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Draco pulled away from the curb and started down the street.

"I'm-" He broke off and sighed, turbulent emotion clear on his fine-boned face. Hermione's concern swirled into something a lot more like dread.

"Draco?" She asked quietly, trying to keep her tone even and emotion-free, "has something happened?" He was silent and she knew he was thinking. They pulled into a parking space, Draco's slim fingers drumming anxiously, unconsciously, against the steering wheel. Hermione suddenly realized she was holding her breath. It seemed ages, but he finally spoke, the words seeming to tumble out one on top of the other.

"My dad, he wants to have you for dinner, I told him I'd have to ask you, but he said it wasn't a question, I told him-I wish I told, I hate him!" He seemed to crumple with exhaustion at this denunciation and Hermione's heart, and arms went out to him.

"Oh baby! I'm sorry." She held him close to her, his head on her chest, feeling his panicked breathing slow. He shoved himself away from her suddenly, pushing his pale blond hair out of his eyes, agitated again.

"I-I don't want-" He gazed at her wildly, his eyes burning. "I don't want him to meet you! He ruins everything, and-" he seemed to crack again, but this time his voice cracked with him. "I don't want him to ruin us, you. You're-" he broke off, overwhelmed and Hermione's heart broke for him.

"Hey, hey, hey, listen to me." She said softly, taking his hands in hers. "Don't worry about him. We'll face this-together."


End file.
